


All you're giving me is friction

by AbbySomething



Series: Maybe This Will Be My Year [9]
Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon)
Genre: Abby has Theories and Feelings about eps and Aku, Blood and Violence, Festival funtimes for everyone, Gen, also rejecting the canon that Jack has never killed anyone cuz thats redonkulous, and yet this chapter totally wasnt influenced by s5....not at all...haahahaha....
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 04:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14347584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbbySomething/pseuds/AbbySomething
Summary: A festival brings up too many uncomfortable emotions for both Jack and Aku. But they're finding out the world is perhaps a little more complicated than they had both assumed, anyway.





	All you're giving me is friction

**Author's Note:**

> hi there, sorry for the wait. its complicated

“I take my words back on that show about magical horses,” Aku said with pure disgust, “ _This_ is the most awful sight my eyes has ever witnessed.”

He was referring to the large carnival spread out in the town before them, announcing itself with a pink and white lacy banner over the entrance that read “ALL ARE WELCOME IN THE WORLD OF LOVE!”

Upbeat music was playing, drifting in from somewhere towards the center of the large square further into town. The ‘ferris wheel’ (as Aku had explained to Jack when they’d first spotted it some distance away) was still in motion, and many scents of food and perfumes wafted in the air. Numerous couples, arm in arm or hand in hand, wandered by, eyes amorously glued to each other. Even those that weren’t attached to others were evidently in groups of friends, laughing and having a good time.

Jack was already enjoying himself, and he had barely taken a few steps in.

“Come now, Aku,” he said without turning, “Surely even you could learn to have fun here!”

“I doubt that.” Aku grumbled, gloomily stomping alongside Jack.

The first half hour was spent dodging their way through the crowds, just taking in the festival and trying not to get lost or separated too far. They passed many booths, mostly crafts and artwork, but some held delicious-looking food that they were trying to keep track of to try later. However, one booth caused Aku to run over, watching in utter fascination as bright pink and blue clouds were whipped around a paper cone.

“Jack!” he said, ignoring the odd look from the booth-runner, “I must try this, this sorcery!”

Jack was intrigued as well, and he passed along payment in exchange for a bright pink one that Aku immediately bit into. His eyes went wide as he drew back, stilling, and then he broke out into a grin, taking another chunk of it out with his mouth and, Jack noticed abruptly, not even chewing.

How bizarre!

Jack rotated the concoction, careful to avoid the areas that had turned slightly darker after Aku’s bites, and took a cautious nibble.

It was…sweet! Almost unbearably, he noted with a twinge of distaste. And the texture changed in his mouth; he quickly realized it was just some kind of sugar, and that’s what had caused it to melt so quickly. He handed the whole cone over to Aku, who eagerly wolfed it down like a hungry baby bird. Within the minute, the now-barren paper cone was tossed into a nearby trashcan.

Aku tacked that treat down as something he would need to have available at all hours of the day when he went back to his ruling. Mortals had always come up with such _interesting_ food, but most of it was absolutely disgusting. They got it right once in awhile.

However, his enjoyment was soured by the sight of the festival around them; something that celebrated _love_ of all things. Abhorrent! There was a reason Aku had banned these, or at least all that weren’t dedicated to honoring him. The way these fools walked around, staring at each other with such lost looks on their faces, was downright depraved. And did they all have to crowd together and walk as if they had fused at the waist?

Aku snorted at the thought. That would make an amusing punishment, once he got his reign back.

Carefully, Aku glanced at the samurai from the corners of his eyes, and was shocked to see that Jack now walked so close to him that their shoulders could easily touch if they leaned in a few inches. When they had first begun to travel, they had both been hard-pressed to get within arm’s reach of each other. What had changed? Aku had certainly never instigated this. He wanted the samurai at as long a distance as safely possible for him.

He thought of the way the samurai had nudged him the day before he declared himself sick: A hint of playfulness, and something that felt it went beyond their previous stern distaste for each other. Something that was moving more into a territory Aku was unfamiliar with, but had recognized from a distance in others. The Scotsman and Jack had shown each other comfort with hands clasped on shoulders, or tight hugs, and Aku had seen such things and others in many mortals before. There seemed to be an uncharted ground between hatred (or apathy) and romantic intent Aku had never experienced, and thus had no ideas how to quantify it. He _knew_ it was under the category of “friendliness,” but as he had informed Jack, he’d never had any others he could have thought of in a way that fit the definition of the word “friend.”

But why this now? He and Jack still hated each other, right?

With a small bit of panic, Aku took a few steps wide out, putting him and Jack at more than an arm’s length. Jack turned his head to give Aku a quirked eyebrow, but didn’t move closer or make a comment.

Jack had surely not noticed the change because he was a fool, but Aku had to quickly gather himself and examine what could have possibly happened; unknowingly _allowed_ such a transgression of his valuable personal space.

The first memory that clicked in was when Jack had requested to hold him the night he had been drunk, and afterwards explaining it as his repressed desire for physical affection. But it clashed with Jack’s declaration of the two of them being nothing more than “traveling companions.” So where did they stand?

The next place his mind took him was to the weeks and months spent with Jack under his brilliant disguise of Ikra. A warrior woman, fit into a form Aku had gathered were appealing to humans, and apparently had worked on Jack as far as he could tell. Jack had the audacity to be so damn different from Aku’s average data on humans, and downright unreadable at times. But Aku had been able to conclude with definite reasonability that what Jack had started to feel for that disguise had likely been attraction— catching the same faces Jack made in passing at Ikra that the humans in media gave their romantic partners, whatever emotion it was that caused their brains to malfunction like that.

He would have to monitor Jack and himself more closely, to determine his best possible outcome. If he leapt into trying to exploit the samurai’s feelings as he had done before, he could be guessing wrong and wind up only driving Jack to the point of attacking Aku. But if it wound up being an option and he could get the samurai to be more protective of him and under his influence, then…

Aku took another look at the couples surrounding them, caught up in their embraces and affectionate gestures. He tried to imagine himself and Jack in the same positions, and even the mere thought of it was enough to make his stomach jump with sickness. _That_ was one aspect he didn’t look forward to imitating, even in jest. The samurai was, well, the samurai! They were practically set in stone to always oppose each other and never share anything between them but blood and magic and hate.

But he was determined he would withstand it, if his options came down to that. He was a demon of deception; a master of disguises; a—!

A human now, he recalled with a significant drop of his shoulders, hunching a bit as he walked along.

But that would not hinder him. In the meantime, Aku could be patient, and continue seeking the paths that would benefit him, no matter what destruction and pain he left behind. Nothing would stop him from his goal— not even the samurai.

* * *

Jack took note of Aku’s sudden parting, but assumed it was so Aku could more easily move around the couples that they passed. It was only after a few seconds that he realized the two of them had been walking close, and had been doing so for some time now that he thought on it. The distance felt like an itch on his shoulder.

Jack reasoned it down to wanting to stay close to Aku, and watch him for any evil he might try to suddenly pull, but Jack _was_ convinced of Aku’s humanity and Aku’s acceptance of his situation. Aku had yet to do anything outright evil, or successfully accomplish anything manipulative, and he had certainly not revealed any underlying plots to trap Jack or kill him.

On the other hand, precaution was necessary for one such as Aku. Jack would have to seek a balance if he wished to continue keeping their unsteady peace.

As Jack watched the numerous couples, holding each other so close pass by, he couldn’t stop the familiar ache somewhere deep inside. He shook it off, trying to distract himself. But really, that ache was the _demon’s_ fault.

He tensed, his steps getting stiffer as he felt the same frustration and sorrow begin to stir. Realistically, he was all alone in this world. There were elements of his home that had been kept through time, but it was not the same. He had others that he met and befriended, but he had to keep his distance to ensure their safety. All because Aku…

No. Because _he_ had fallen for that deceit.

The despair clutched at his chest.

But things were different now, he rationalized, pushing back on that empty feeling.

Aku was no _friend_ , but they were no longer enemies and, as he frowned at the realization, his earlier label of “traveling companion” didn’t fit either. But perhaps it was not the labels that mattered, but how Jack _felt_ about the two of them. And what he felt was…

Confusing, to put it mildly.

The biggest feeling coming from a sense of karmic justice, seeing that Aku was no longer much of a threat to anyone, unless they were forced to listen to his incessant narcissism. Yes, quite begrudgingly, Jack had taught him some methods of defending himself, and whether it was fear of judgement from Jack or fear or retaliation from a stronger foe, Aku had not used those skills beyond, well, defending himself.

Perplexingly, the ex-demon had taken a firm place at Jack’s side, and begun to wriggle his way into some vague notion of non-violent familiarity. Jack was sure he could never fully trust him, especially since he was still evidently on the hunt for the way to break this curse, but as he had concluded before, Aku was almost humbled by this whole situation and some small part of Jack hoped that perhaps he would remember that when or if he was changed back.

In the meantime, Jack found he couldn’t particularly complain about the company in general.

Distantly, his mind wandered, as sometimes it did, into the future. What happened if they didn’t find a break for this curse? Jack had no problem with leaving once he found a portal and going home.

And where would that leave Aku?

Jack’s heart fluttered, and he almost stumbled before quickly composing himself. Thankfully nobody noticed.

Had he…did he _care_ about what happened to Aku? Yes, he had come to terms that he, in a strange way, pitied this human-bound Aku, but to actually _care_ about his wellbeing? That was far too absurd.

But the pang stuck, feeling like a thorn under his ribs. Jack swallowed thickly, a rush of guilt, anger, and worry filling him. He couldn’t betray his ancestors; his home; his _parents;_ like that. It was in his nature to want to help others and grow to care for them as best he could manage, but not this. Not this monster.

Jack took an aside glance at Aku, wanting to feel angry or hurt or…

Instead, he saw a curious, _self-centered_ , intelligent, _stubborn_ , challenging ex-demon, that he felt some measure of empathy for. All because—

‘ _I have conquered planets; killed and tortured millions; survived eons and being locked away by that blasted sword; but this? I do not know how to deal with this!’_

Because he was so _utterly_ human now. The Aku he had known was still there, in the core of his personality, but gone was the sheer hatred between them; the constant attempts to kill him; the _power_ over Jack and his life. All that was left was an odd man that thought too highly of himself for his own good.

Jack took a moment to close his eyes briefly and take a breath.

He would never betray his home by actively and-or intentionally helping Aku get his curse broken. He would probably even try to prevent it happening if it could be helped, ‘I can feel this body dying’ be damned. But things were different now. He pitied Aku’s situation, had even begun to have a seed of care for his wellbeing, and in a way he did want to see where this journey took Aku.

It was likely a symptom of having traveled alone for so long, in spite of how much he had thought he was accustomed to it. He could admit to looking forward to seeing familiar faces once more along his journey, but Jack had accepted that his quest was destined to be fought alone. His life had made it too dangerous for others to risk helping him for any extended periods of time, and they all had other lives, other destinies, and more importantly, _not_ an all-powerful demonic wizard after them (at least not as much as Aku had been after Jack). While he knew he often distanced himself by his own accord, there was a lingering pain from not having _anyone_ on his quests; no one to share in his experiences, or keep up with him, help push him…even on the days where all hope seemed lost.

And now, there was Aku who traveled alongside him. Aku did complain, but he was not a burden and actually sought to accomplish things (granted, all of them were centered around looking out for himself, but his actions sometimes came out almost resembling kindness). He was annoying, but his opposition to Jack was actually welcome in his human state; Jack didn’t appreciate or trust anyone that would have agreed with him all the time and did exactly whatever he wanted. Aku did seem to slowly be grasping at the pieces of morality Jack was trying to instill, even if Jack felt there was a _reluctance_ in the ex-demon to accept them to the degree of becoming just like Jack. But Jack understood Aku’s struggle, after he had explained it to the samurai all those months ago, and Jack had found his patience expanded tremendously since then.

Aku _was_ still himself, however human now, but he also stood beside Jack as an ever-present reminder of just how far the ex-demon had come. And that, above all, had somehow managed to keep Jack’s hope lit inside him. And Jack was happy with where they stood together, or at least as much as he could be with Aku.

Feeling satisfied with that, Jack turned to glance at Aku once more, and smiled at the sight of Aku weaving his way through the people, appearing to be in deep concentration himself.

Jack looked back around them and saw they were approaching the ferris wheel, as he’d hoped to. He caught Aku’s attention and gestured to it, but Aku cocked his head and frowned.

“What?” he asked, “Why?”

“I wish to experience it.” Jack explained. He could already imagine the view one must have had from the top!

Aku snorted, “Whatever suits you,” but followed him as they cut through the crowd and stopped in front of the waiting line. Jack blinked, then analyzed it, noticing it was moving steadily.

Aku groaned, frowning, “Oh, great. _Waiting_ torture.”

Jack smirked at his torment, but Aku still followed Jack in.

After what seemed to Aku like the equivalent of all his years of immortality doubled, they were led into one of the moving carts that made up the outer edge of the wheel. During that time, both had noticed that some of the couples leaving the ride were flushed and giggling, their clothing in disarray, though most got on and left continuing to gaze at each other lovingly. Aku scooted over to the far left, away from Jack, who sat a little warily on the right. There was just enough room to manage a few inches where they were not touching.

Once inside, the person that had led them in slammed the door and murmured something about keeping their limbs inside the vehicle, before turning back to help the next couple. Jack and Aku jumped a little when the cart began to move, but relaxed once it seemed to settle into its natural rhythm, stopping every minute or so to let the next set of couples on and off. Jack was enjoying the view, while Aku was trying to will the ride to be over sooner so he didn’t have to spend any more time in a confined space with the damned samurai.

Just as they seemed to reach the peak of the wheel, everything stopped for far longer than it should have. Aku and Jack sat forward, peering out their respective windows to try and understand what was happening. After the next few minutes had passed and they still hadn’t moved, Aku huffed and sat back against his seat hard. The motion knocked their cart back a bit, and Aku’s eyes widened. Jack ignored his motions, choosing to gaze out over the festival and take in the unique perspective they held at the moment.

Aku repeated his movement, and grinned as the cart wobbled, which finally caught Jack’s attention.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” Aku quickly lied, pretending to ease into his seat. Jack squinted at him but turned back, satisfied Aku would stop.

Aku hesitated a few moments, then rocked forward and back, cackling as it began to shake their cart. Jack cried out, arms flailing before pressing into the seat and the door to hold him still. The glare he shot Aku was ice cold, but Aku only flashed him a toothy grin.

“Stop that!”

“Why? Does it make you _uncomfortable?_ ”

“I just,” Jack said, “Would not like to have us fall to the ground in this device.” The insinuation didn’t phase Aku, who shrugged nonchalantly, still smirking, and settled down quietly once more. Jack knew Aku better than to buy his sudden silence, and he watched the man carefully.

When another minute passed and they still hadn’t moved, Jack risked another look out the window to the ground, trying to see what the holdup was. Aku took his chance, standing up before slamming hard back into his seat, which propelled the cart into a violent rocking motion. Jack whipped back around, a snarl overtaking his face as he fell upon Aku, irritation taking over. This only caused the seat to move more, as Aku scrambled away (as best he could in that limited space) before Jack caught the edge of his coat and pulled him in to try and keep him down. The cart rocked forward at the moment, and the momentum pulled Jack and Aku back into their seats, landing hard on top of each other.

They began shouting at the same time, incoherent curses and insults spouting furiously, while trying to scramble away from their close contact. As the cart rocked backwards, Jack still had a tight hold on Aku’s coat, and Aku tried to roll off but carried Jack with him, and they both tumbled to the floor, once again face-to-face (or, specifically in their case, face-to-neck). They continued to struggle until Jack got a hold of both of Aku’s hands, pinning them down on either side, balancing himself on his elbows while the rest of his weight held Aku down. Aku wriggled even more fervently, very unhappy with being restrained.

“Let-go-of-my-hands!”

“Not until you—”

Aku pushed up with his hips, and Jack had one whole second to feel a flush of embarrassment at the move before Aku rolled them both to the side again, and twisted his wrists out of Jack’s grip. Just like the samurai had taught him recently.

For good measure, Aku jabbed his elbow into Jack’s midsection, just in the center and under his ribcage. Jack wheezed, eyes widening, and Aku pulled him flat to the floor before slamming his weight onto Jack’s chest.

Aku scrambled then, having landed shoulder-first, but thankfully the samurai was still recovering, and he managed to reverse the situation Jack had put on him only seconds before. However, he thought to bring his weight up on his knees and hands, locking around Jack’s hips and pinning down the wrists.

They both panted, sweat beading on their skin, and held their gazes for an eternal minute.

Then, surprisingly, the corners of Jack’s mouth twitched, and of all things to do at that moment, he _laughed_.

It was restrained compared to what the drunken version of him had done, but it threw Aku off-guard and he stared down, perplexed by this turn of events.

“You have come so far,” Jack explained, chuckling out a few more breaths, “I am impressed.”

Aku felt a rush of pride, but he seemed to be caught, still staring at Jack, something stirring in his stomach. He felt queasy and horrible, but unable to break away.

Jack brought his brows together in a look of confusion, his smile dropping away to concern.

“Aku?”

The whole mechanism around them groaned loudly, and they both were jerked out of their trance when the door jostled. Panicked, they burst away from each other just in time for the operator to swing the door wide for them to leave. Neither had noticed the cart moving down again in their commotion, so they both felt sharp spikes of panic as reality slammed home. Jack stood first, brushing himself off, and stepped out, his legs shaky from exertion. Aku had to clamber out after him, still feeling odd and unable to stop the small tremors that ran over his body.

Just as they walked out, however, the people still in line began to cheer and holler, and both men noticed that some of the people that had gotten off just before them were still standing around, and whistling along with the crowd.

Jack took a few steps back, bumping into Aku, and they both looked genuinely startled as they took the sight in. They were both still confused on what was going on, but took a glance at each other and visually agreed to quickly make their way out of there, which they did (the crowd continuing to cheer more enthusiastically as they hurried away together).

* * *

Towards the end of their detour through the festival, Jack spotted a booth that advertised “CARAMEL APPLES: FRESH OFF THE TREE!”

Jack figured, ‘ _I like apples, and I believe I have tried caramel and enjoyed it_.’ While the earlier sugary treat had been too much for him, he admitted that he still had some kind of sweetness craving to satisfy thanks to all the delicious smells.

He and Aku walked up to the booth, and Jack peered over the colorful display. Some were covered in chocolate and other sweets, even little multi-colored dots with little ‘A’s on them. But Jack chose to go for the green apple one, only a coating of caramel over it. He figured he would try the ‘plain’ one, and if he enjoyed it, he would remember that the next time he found a booth selling them and try other variations.

“Ya want it chopped up?” the booth owner asked.

“No, I think I will be fine. Thank you, though.” Jack replied, handing over the due payment.

He took it by the wooden stick protruding from the top of the apple, and continued on his way with Aku trailing a little to his side. Jack decided, after a moment of analyzation, that the best method was to simply dive right in, so he took a bite out of the side facing him. Or, really, he _tried_ to take a bite. The caramel wasn’t hard, but it was thick. And sticky! Jack finally managed a chunk out, and chewed thoughtfully. The sweet of the caramel was offset by the sourness of the green apple underneath, resulting in a tasty (but unexpected) flavor. Jack concluded he liked it.

“How is it?” Aku asked from his right.

“It is sweet!” Jack answered, and noticed Aku’s eyes flicker to a spot in the corner of his mouth that felt sticky. Jack quickly realized what he was staring at, and he attempted to wipe the residue caramel off on the back of his hand. It was very stubborn, and the spot on his face still felt tacky. The sugar in the caramel undoubtedly was making it this difficult; it probably wouldn’t come off without water being applied, but thankfully they were heading into town to find a place to rest regardless. Hopefully they would either encounter running water there or he could find a stream or fountain nearby.

The apple was gone by the time they’d reached the entrance/exit, and he moved to toss the leftover stick into a nearby trashbin.

“Hey,” Aku protested, “I did not get to try any.”

Jack almost didn’t catch Aku’s hand reaching up, grasping his chin, but his hand jutted out in time to catch it at the wrist, holding him there before he could do any damage.

Suddenly, Aku was _much_ closer than Jack had realized. He froze, unable to do anything under a scrutinizing pair of emerald-green eyes. He didn’t feel the index finger on his chin swipe away a large glob that had stuck there, before the hand retreated, easily pulling out of Jack’s placid grip, and placed a finger into the waiting mouth.

Jack was stuck like that for a long moment, jaw hung open like a fish out of water. Aku didn’t even notice, enthralled as he was with the flavor of the caramel.

“Aku!” Jack finally squawked, feeling like his stomach had bottomed out, “That was…that was disgusting!”

Aku reeled back, finally pulling his finger out to retort, “You didn’t offer me any! And,” here he chuckled, “You looked like you needed help cleaning up.”

“I certainly did not ask—“

“While it was delicious, it was tainted by having been on your _revolting_ flesh. I do not think I will repeat that mistake.”

“Aww, you guys are so cute!”

Both turned to gaze at a red-headed woman a few feet away, who was beaming enthusiastically at them.

The woman continued, giggling, “Together at the greatest love festival in centuries!”

“What?” they asked simultaneously, faces dropping fast into shock.

Her face fell, and turned into a look of horror.

“Oh, my God, I thought,” she shook her head and raised her hands to wave them in front of her face, “I’m _so_ sorry! I thought you two were, ya know, _together_. But now I can see that you’re just uh—“

Aku had the misfortune of being more aware of modern linguistics, and his eyes widened long before Jack started to catch on to her meaning.

“You _thought_ —!” Aku’s voice rose to a yell, anger starting to boil over, but the idea was so…so…

He couldn’t stop the smile from cracking, and then he burst into a fit of booming laughter that caused him to throw his head back and lean on his heels from the effort.

The mere _idea_ of him and Jack…the _fool_ samurai and the Shapeshifting Master of Darkness! It was _hilarious!_

Even if he was plotting to manipulate the samurai if it benefitted him, to have others think that they were already _anything_ like the rest of the couples at this festival? He would have to remember such a wonderful joke for when he was caught in a foul mood later.

“I,” Jack started, brow furrowing in confusion before they rose as the realization hit him, and he took an unsteady step back, “You thought that we, we…”

Strangely, Jack didn’t feel insulted or horrified so much as he felt embarrassed. He wondered, face flushing, if others had thought that as they had strode through this event together. And then he realized: the caramel. Aku had been so close and he had—

“N-no! It is not like that! We are merely,” Jack struggled to think of a word, “Traveling together! Nothing more!”

“Alright, alright! I’m really, _really_ sorry!” She backed up, and turned to jog back into the crowd.

“Absolutely depraved.” Aku commented, shaking his head.

“I hope nobody else has confused us in that sense.” Jack mumbled, but the churning in his stomach continued as they began to move out into the residential part of the town.

They made it all of five steps when an explosion went off behind them, quaking the very air and unsettling both their feet. Aku almost fell over, but Jack caught him by the arm, yanking him back up before letting go to whip around. Screams rang out as smoke billowed up in a dark plume, which gave Jack and Aku direction as they ran back in.

They skidded to a halt in the gathered crowd as three figures in black stepped out from the wreckage of one of the rides, the frontmost of which carried a megaphone which he brought up to his uncovered face.

“This celebration disgraces our lord and master Aku!” he shouted, “Your disgusting displays of affection should be kept to yourselves, and you should be praying for his return as well as your own painful deaths for your discretions!”

The crowd gasped, drawing back, but Jack felt his anger spike sharply at the man’s words. He had encountered loyalists to Aku before, however rare they were, and found them to be an incredibly immoral lot. He didn’t dare turn to see Aku’s reaction, not wanting to distract his attention or his rage from his true targets.

Aku couldn’t quite tell what he was feeling, as he took a small step back from the weight of the loyalist’s words. They were right— he did find this whole thing horrible— but something about having them confirmed out loud by someone else, and with the intention of such violence without his direct orders… It changed the _feelings_ behind the words, to something that sat sourly on his tongue. It wasn’t to say that if he’d been at his full powers and found out about this festival he would have done differently with his beetledrones, if he’d felt up to causing some minor destruction and terror.

He heard comforting tones and words around him, and as he glanced he saw one of the terrified couples next to him clinging desperately to each other, staring wide-eyed at the destruction and tears welling in their eyes. It would have been a pleasant sight if he was the one causing this, and he still felt a wave of amusement at their misery, but—

He _wouldn’t_ have done any different. He _was_ glad these love-struck fools were being reminded of their place.

But.

And that was just it: he didn’t _know_ what that “but” was. Something was preventing him from enjoying him as much as he would have when he had been a demon, and the sudden recognition of it was enough to chill him to his core.

He didn’t even notice Jack leaping out until the crowd gasped and the main loyalist yelled incoherently into the megaphone.

Jack went after the one on the right first, noticing he was the one carrying heavy artillery. As expected, the man tried to shoot a line of bullets at Jack, and Jack quickly drew his sword up, deflecting the stream harmlessly to the ground outside the crowd, then moved his sword as he ran forward so the bullets started aiming back at the man. The man cursed, shutting off his gun, and tried to reach for a grenade on a belt strung across his chest. Jack came up too fast, and slammed the butt of his sword into the side of the man’s head, knocking him out cold.

The main instigator cursed, motioning to the woman beside him, and Jack overheard “grab one” before he crossed the few short steps up to the man, preparing to give him the same fate as his companion. His wrist was stopped as it came in close, and the man’s fist struck Jack in the throat fast. Not enough power to disable, but Jack choked, taking a step back, and the man took advantage of his disorientation to punch Jack in the diaphragm. Or, at least, in the low stomach: Jack was able to snap his left hand up and knock the punch down a notch, even if it still hurt.

“Samurai!” the man spat, eyes dark with hate, “If I will not kill you here, know that my master will succeed one day! Your flesh is mortal, and weak, and he will savor it as he feasts upon your—”

Jack brought his sword down, but the man jumped back, then reached behind himself to pull out a blue-tinged sword of his own. He held it well, and took an active stance Jack knew. Jack backed up a step or two, settling into a position that would give him an advantage over his opponent. The man snarled at Jack, then abruptly changed stances as he rushed forward.

Jack caught the sword against his own, and they both held there for a second before Jack shoved the man back and tried a diagonal slash. The other man’s sword countered it, then deflected as he tried to come in close, stabbing his sword forward. Jack side-stepped to let the sword pass in front of him, then grabbed the man’s wrist with his free hand and yanked him forward, grabbing what he could of the man’s shoulders around his other hand’s grip on his sword. He ploughed his knee into the man’s sternum with enough force to knock his breath out, but was met with a tougher substance under the black than he had expected. It stung his knee in return, and he hissed. The man reached up and under Jack’s knee, holding it as he shot back up and threw Jack backwards.

Jack landed on his backside, but he was quick to roll up with his weapon and catch the downward slash the man tried. The man jumped out of the way as Jack attempted to sweep his legs, but that move also brought Jack back up to his feet, and he stood once more, this time taking a more dangerous stance: his sword up high to his side, legs wider than his shoulders and knees loose, ready to spring.

The man was panting already, his rage only fueling him so far, but they were both distracted when a cheer went up behind them. Jack glanced over to see Aku standing in front of the crowd, but that was all he saw before movement made his attention snap back.

The man was running for Aku.

Jack was caught, only for a second, on what might be resolved if Aku should die right there.

He didn’t think about it again.

* * *

A few minutes prior, Aku watched from the crowd, still horror-stricken at his own epiphanies. Questions ran quickly through his mind, even if he couldn’t quite grasp or solidify any of them, only piling onto his growing frustration and panic. A terrified shriek made him turn his head, numb, as he witnessed the woman clad in black reach for a small child, a hunting knife in her other hand which she held out threateningly at the parents as they tried to hold on to their girl.

Aku didn’t want to protect her. He didn’t want to do _“good_.” He was Aku, even in his nightmare of a body, and nothing could change that.

Yet that “but” pulled him forward, and he grabbed the wrist holding the knife harshly while his other hand gripped her hair and forcibly yanked down as his knee came up, ramming her face directly into it. While she yelled in agony, Aku twisted her wrist backwards while forcing it up, and then struck with his palm directly into her shoulder.

That made her scream, and she dropped the knife, although her other hand came up and latched onto his wrist. She dug sharp nails into it, and he winced. Even with her nose broken and bloodied, her face was a picture of sheer rage.

Suddenly, she cried out again, and Aku saw movement in the corner of his eye. He looked down in time to see the girl she had tried to grab kick the woman in the shin one more time before running back to her parents. Aku used the woman’s slackened grip to jab forward, hitting her in the nose again.

She made a weak, pained noise, her knees buckling, and Aku hit her one more time for good measure. She went limp, and he let her fall to the ground where she lay still save for her noisy breathing.

It took Aku a minute for the whole thing to play over in his head again, and he jerked shortly as he came to realize that Jack was right: before he’d started training with the samurai, that fight would have had a higher chance of having gone horribly. Aku was confident he probably would have won anyway, but this time had gone by so fast he’d hardly registered it happening. He _was_ improving.

The cheer that erupted beside him made him jump back, preparing to defend himself again, but then he saw the people around him were looking at him with big smiles and eager expressions. He blinked rapidly, confusion overtaking him.

“Thank you!” The girl’s family chattered excitedly, and the girl raised both her arms to let out a loud, joyous holler.

They were…cheering for him? _Truly?_

He’d ordered cheers before at rallies and speeches during his dictatorship, and that had felt great, but this blossomed in his stomach much the same as the “kindness” of the family that had taken in him and Jack. The bonding with the small boy-child that resulted in an honest gift.

Jack—

He stared out at all of them, letting that strange feeling wash over him as it had done that one night. He still couldn’t quite put words to it, but it felt…nice.

The cheer turned into a cacophony of horrified screams again, and many people pointed behind Aku. He whirled his head around in time to see the man Jack had been fighting coming straight for him, murder set in his eyes.

Oddly, the only thought that occurred to Aku in that moment was if he should speak, and try to get the man to listen to him. Believe that he was the master this man was trying to serve. But there was no sound that escaped his throat as the man brandished his sword and—

Stopped.

Jack’s sword cleaved through his chest, which was spurting blood through the newly-made hole. The man made wet, garbled noises, hands shaking as he tried to keep his grip on his weapon, but after a few seconds his arms fell, and his eyes grew hazy as his body twitched, dropping his sword and finally falling still.

The samurai shakily pulled his sword out, stepping back and letting the body hit the ground. Jack stared at it for a few moments, then looked up at Aku with nearly wild eyes. Aku met them, shock still overtaking him, freezing him in place.

Another, slightly more hesitant cheer ran up through the crowd, but Jack took the opportunity to close his eyes, breathing deeply to calm his pounding heart. Aku finally felt his muscles unlock all at once, and it took every ounce of his regained strength to not shake or fall. He still stared at Jack as the samurai tucked his bloodied sword away, but he could see the slight buzz to Jack’s edges now, even after his breathing trick.

He closed his slack-jawed mouth, swallowing down the thickness in his throat.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was spent digging dead and alive bodies out from the wreckage, and the day sat heavily upon both Jack and Aku as they made the trip to their room after the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon. They were both unusually quiet, and once they were done cleaning up and redressing, Jack went to the bathroom to wet a towel, then sat down on the floor in front of the bed and drew out his sword to wipe it down.

Aku watched him for a few minutes, recalling times before when he had seen Jack doing this after the fights that drew blood, oil, or other liquids across the sword. Most of the small skirmishes they got into along the road Jack generally stuck to using his body, which was a habit since before Aku had become human. Jack didn’t need to explain to Aku that it had to do with his honor and his own small worship of the sacred weapon; he wouldn’t draw it until he felt it was truly necessary.

Something about watching Jack clean it of blood still struck as odd to him, but it took him a few minutes to put his finger on the exact reason why. He turned himself around on the bed to face Jack and pursed his lips, rolling the words over in his mind until they felt right.

“When did you get used to killing organic life?”

Jack looked up sharply, pausing in his cleaning. He studied Aku, furrowing his brow in confusion and thought, until he finally went back to his task, silent for another short while. He turned the question over in his mind.

Just when Aku was about to huff and lay down, Jack spoke up in a quiet voice.

“I never did. I cannot say for sure I have ‘grown used’ to killing _anything_. I have merely just…”

He appeared to be contemplating the word for it until Aku offered, “You force yourself to be numb.”

Jack glanced at Aku out of the corners of his eyes, and saw a startling sight: Aku was almost somber, his entire body language and expression completely serious. There was _understanding_ there, and it unsettled something deep in Jack. He swallowed and went back to work, then frowned as he thought the words over.

“It is not like you,” Jack explained, “I cannot numb myself because I think I am better than them, or out of anger or whatever you use to justify killing. I accept that I must do what I do to protect myself and others.”

He expected the scoff from Aku, but Jack went on, his voice still tight under the weight of his words, “I must always think of how many lives I am protecting by ending another’s path of destruction and death. They chose their path, and the actions they followed, and I chose mine.”

It is a paraphrasing of something his father had told him, when he was a young child. The shock of seeing and feeling warm blood for the first time— outside of the tiny cuts he had received up until that point— as well as seeing his father slaying living, breathing human beings, had left a dark imprint on his memories of home and his view of the world around him. At the time, his father had explained to him about the choices and actions of those assassins being their own, but then he had expressed in heartfelt sincerity to Jack that he hoped his son would never have to take the life of another person, and would always seek to offer others another choice. A peaceful choice.

He had taken that advice to heart, even to this day, but his father’s desire for peace brought up a strange bitterness. It seemed his father never could have taken into account being thrown into a future influenced by Aku’s wicked rule.

Jack and Aku lapsed into silence for a long while, all the way up until Jack was done cleaning his sword. It was no ordinary metal, obviously, so using water would not get it to rust or decay. Jack still would have preferred to do it the traditional, honorable way, but his resources were limited.

Aku clenched his hands into the sheets the whole time, his mind now a storm of unnameable emotions and thoughts only half-completing until they fluttered away from his grasp. It wasn’t just mainly anger; it was something far more complex tied into a subject that had been lingering this entire duration of their travels. He didn’t want to keep delaying getting his answer, and now seemed the perfect opportunity.

“And what about me?”

Jack stared ahead at nothing for a few seconds, blinking, but then turned his head to look at Aku again. This time, the ex-demon wasn’t staring at him, but rather at Jack’s blade. Now, his expression seemed even more withdrawn, and Jack couldn’t fully read him.

“Well,” he sighed, “As of right now, we are under an agreement. And before, as I told you, you were indeed defenseless. I thought you were trying to lure me into a trap anyway, which was not unreasonable thinking with you.”

“I mean,” Aku interrupted, narrowing his eyes but not breaking his lock on the weapon, “When I turn back.”

 _‘If_ ’ Jack almost corrected, but caught himself. It would do no good to upset Aku in that regards now.

Jack spoke with a bit of frustration in his tone, “I had thought you might remember all these lessons and things you’ve experienced. Surely you would not be able to just ignore—“

“It is different when I am a demon!” Aku’s voice rose, “It is, it is difficult to explain. But there is no guarantee I will retain these mercies.”

Something opened up painfully in Jack’s chest, and he frowned deeply. His body sagged a little as the realization settled over him.

“I wish it were not so,” Jack said in a murmur, “Because then what is the point of all this?”

Aku choked a little, terror creeping in, and stammered out without thinking, “W-Well I am not saying it _will not_ happen, I, I just do not know either way! Things are just different in my true form; emotions are— they are strange, and muted but also more extreme?”

He brought his hands up to his face, groaning loudly into them and dragging his fingers down his face and through his beard. Aku looked down to see Jack watching him carefully.

“I just do not know.” He finished, cringing inwardly at the honesty again. Well, the samurai could take some disgusting comfort in the fact _that_ had already started to rub off on Aku in this human form.

Jack closed his eyes, recalling the time he had spent possessed by Aku’s essence. Was it possible that Aku’s humanity would be swallowed up by his power, just as Jack’s had been? But Aku was used to being that way, and Jack had thought that Aku would have better ability to control himself. But if not...

What _was_ he hoping to accomplish with all this if that were the case?

“I may have a notion,” Jack spoke in a hushed voice, “Though I had hoped it would not be true.”

“What?” Aku snapped his head up to face Jack.

Jack sighed, keeping his eyes closed as he prepared the words he dreaded speaking.

“When you possessed me, I felt what you are like. Cold, filled with—”

“ _What?!”_ Aku’s voice pitched high, and he looked downright horrified, “When I— No— I never possessed you! You speak nonsense!”

Jack was violently thrown out of the speech he had prepared to give. He peered up at Aku, confused and irritated in one.

“What do you mean? I was being controlled by you, or at least a part of you; can you not remember?”

“I think I would remember something like that!” Aku exclaimed, scrambling off the bed and coming down to the floor to sit in front of Jack and demand: “Explain further.”

Jack blinked wide-eyed at Aku now, but quickly drew his expression back in, though he still appeared worried.

“There was a time when you were...sick? You were coughing and hacking, and when you ran you said something about ‘not feeling well.’”

Aku froze, the memory coming back up from the depths where he’d buried it. He immediately tried to think of ways to cover the situation in lies so as to not give the samurai any suspicion about the truth of the matter; the last thing he needed was Jack realizing that he’d been the cause to bring Aku down to such a low point.

Jack moved on, nonplussed by Aku’s reaction, “A bit of essence came away from you then, and I must have gotten it in me somehow; I do not recall the exact details.”

Aku sagged as the tension in him uncoiled, but he was still absolutely enthralled with Jack’s tale. He nodded eagerly for the samurai to continue.

“I— Well, it was like I started becoming you. And I felt what you felt like; cold, immoveable, but powerful and burning with hatred and anger…” Jack shuddered, but then noticed Aku squinting in confusion.

“That does not sound at all like what I am like. Are you certain you were not sick and delirious at the time?”

Jack balked at him, “I am quite certain! I _looked_ like you! I _sounded_ and _acted_ like you! The monks said I had _your_ essence coursing through me and that is what I fought off in my soul!”

“I would have been aware of it, even while...eh, sick!” Aku countered, “You remember the ultrabots, yes? The fact they ran off my power felt like an itch I could not scratch. I could have controlled them, if I so chose, but otherwise my essence was nothing more than a power source! They did not ‘turn into me’ merely because they had it in them, they simply used it like a, ah, battery cell.”

Jack stared at Aku, now unsure what to think about the situation. If Aku spoke the truth, which given his honest confusion seemed likely, then what exactly had happened?

Aku tapped a finger to his chin, eyes unfocused, “This has never happened before. Whenever I gave away my essence, it was to a willing subject and I could feel it separate from myself. Plus, if you destroyed it, I would have felt the pain. But I cannot recall anything of that nature.”

Unease began to settle into Jack at the steady realization that he had been wrong about his presumptions for that period in his life, and now he was back to square one at figuring out just what had happened. He had been so sure; it all seemed to make sense!; but now Aku himself was here to spin the story in another way.

At the same time, the doubt he’d held about their agreement that came from those memories crumbled and fell away. If he had been separate from Aku, then that meant what he’d experienced wasn’t Aku at all! But then _what_ was it?

“And besides, my magic is not like that,” Aku furrowed his brow, continuing and interrupting Jack’s deep thoughts, “It is warm, like fire, and it moves as I will it; it would not…”

Aku twiddled his fingers against each other, looking away. He was debating on whether or not he _should_ continue down this path. He was a creature that thrived in the lies he could tell, interlaced with truth, and spinning others however he wished. Yet there, just then, he had felt a distinct pull to share this in full honesty with the samurai. The truth had started to spill from his mouth as easily as his lies did, and that sparked a brand new fear.

Of course he wouldn’t _stop_ lying, especially when it convenienced him, of that he was certain. Aku peered into it further, and was dismayed to find a feeling of ease surrounding the notion, and something that called for speaking specifically to Jack about these things. It actively connected to the realization of their physical closeness earlier and all the times Jack had helped him understand human concepts or defend himself better.

Where was this coming from? When had it started?

 _“Ask me now while you_ can _.”_

Jack already knew this curse, and so many other little things, but how many more secrets would Jack strip away from him? Was this tutelage worth the price of his pride and the things he had guarded so preciously from others for so long?

The thought was disturbing.

“...It is not like what you described.” He finished sullenly.

Jack saw Aku start to withdraw, and he debated for a few seconds on chasing the thought before settling on the fact he wanted to, if for nothing else than to understand what had happened better and assure himself that his new quest with Aku was not pointless.

“Tell me.”

“Why should I?” Aku scowled.

Ah, so they were going to play this again. Jack matched Aku’s glare.

“Because I need to know that what I am trying to accomplish will not go to waste!”

Aku waved his hand dismissively, “Yes yes, I can see it now, I will remember these lessons. There is no need for you to—”

“Aku.” There was that dangerous edge in Jack’s voice again. Aku snapped his jaw shut.

Jack took another deep breath, then let it out in the silence that fell between them.

“Perhaps talking about the...happier times for you will help you feel better.”

“Why would that help me feel _better?_ It is just going to make me miss them!” Aku curled his knees to his chest, staring at Jack angrily over them.

“Of course you will miss them,” Jack said, “I only offered because when you started speaking about your magic, you managed to drop the scowl you’ve had plastered on your face since we began traveling together.”

Aku discovered he was scowling already, so to spite the samurai he reformed his expression into a sneer.

“I think you are only seeking to gain vital information from me! After all, it is you who sought my death so actively! Once I turn back, you would use what I had told you against me!”

Jack’s eyes narrowed, and he said in a dry voice, “If I wanted to kill you, I would do it now, while you are vulnerable and _mortal_. And, you still have not thanked me for _saving_ your life earlier.”

Aku drew back a few inches, eyes going wide. After a few seconds he recollected himself and glared again at Jack. He considered Jack’s words, but then something struck him and he snorted with amusement.

“And what? Would talking about your home help you?”

It was only after the words left his mouth that it occurred to Aku how cruel they were. His fingers twitched into his legs while he watched for Jack’s reaction.

Jack knew the reaction he felt came across in his face. He didn’t stop it.

“Yes, it does help.” His voice was barely a whisper, and yet the darkness stirred deeper there than before.

“Then why do you not share them with _me?_ ” Aku demanded in a stern but low voice, not backing down as a reasonable person might have done.

Jack’s heartbeat had picked back up, almost like he was anticipating a fight, and he didn’t try to calm himself by breathing evenly this time. He looked down at his sword, staring at his reflection for a long, uncomfortable few minutes.

 _‘That is what I thought._ ’ Aku thought to himself, and stared into the pattern of the bedsheets.

Jack examined within himself to lay out why he hadn’t done that with Aku, despite the seemingly obvious answer: Aku was _Aku_. He had never given Jack any reason to trust him until recently, and even then their current situation stood upon shaky ground. When or if Aku turned back, there was a nagging fear that he would use whatever information Jack gave him against Jack, probably to taunt him, much as Aku feared he would do. Or to revel in the hurt he had given to Jack, by taking away his every chance at happiness. Despite Jack’s acknowledgement earlier of how he felt about the two of them, his _trust_ was not whole.

But if he wasn’t sure Aku would be the same, was it then worth the risk?

He tucked his sword away, and closed his eyes, weighing all the paths and feelings that lay before him. He was certain he wouldn’t give away anything vital or painful, but there were certainly pleasant memories he could recall, and had shared or was willing to share with friends. And even, perhaps, with his archnemesis-turned-human.

Aku was feeling both physically and mentally exhausted, and was ready to go to bed. Lately, it seemed his mind had been keeping him awake longer, thoughts and emotions stirring that he couldn’t settle then and there. It only made him more irritated and tired in the daytime hours he was awake and moving about, but the cycle repeated itself at random.

He had had just about enough of this conversation and the samurai when his companion spoke again, his voice soft once more. But there was no sadness or anger to it, instead it held just quiet admittance.

“You are right. And we have no solid foundation upon which to build trust between us. But that does not mean we cannot try.”

Aku felt his anger stir, as well as something nauseating from deep within him, instead of the triumph he had expected from getting Jack to admit fault.

So, in response, he sniffed and refused to look at Jack.

“I remember the first large festival I went to.”

Aku looked at Jack again sharply. Jack was looking out the window, but he didn’t seem to be focusing on anything in particular out there in the darkness. It quickly became evident to Aku that Jack’s mind was far away, and in a time long ago. He curled in tighter, squinting his eyes.

“We were celebrating the first truly successful year of crops, and giving our thanks to the gods. I had never seen my people so happy, so much at once! And many other people that traded with us helped celebrate too, bringing in foreign foods and items. I got to see the work and fun of everyone all together; paper lanterns and animals, woven tapestries that told the stories of our ancestors, elaborate paintings… But it was also the first year I saw fireworks.”

Suddenly, he chuckled, brightness in his features, “My father tried to demonstrate it in front of me, and nearly caught his robes on fire. Only the edges of his sleeves were singed, but he laughed to help my mother and I ease our worries.”

Aku snorted in amusement; he almost would have preferred the old fool have ended his existence right then and there, done in by his own foolishness. But then Aku wouldn’t have gotten his due revenge.

Jack didn’t seem to have caught onto Aku’s reaction, as he kept going unperturbed.

“That day I saw the village my father and his people helped build. The one they had worked for, and dreamt of since their earliest days. They knew what they had been through to rebuild it, but they celebrated where they had come from.”

Aku tightened his grip on his legs until he could feel the fingers digging in through his pants. His shoulders hunched, and he felt his anger start to boil but it seemed to keep at a simmer when he actually took in Jack’s expression.

Yes, the samurai’s mind was far off, but his expression was soft, lit gently from the emotions those memories were bringing to the surface for him. Suddenly, in this light, Aku could _see_ Jack. Not as the angry, revenge-fueled lost prince; not as the son of the emperor that had imprisoned Aku; not even as the heroic samurai Aku’s subjects cheered for; but as a man.

A man with emotions and wants and needs, just like Aku in this form and even in his demonic body. A man that, from childhood, had been thrust into an unwilling Fate to oppose Aku and despite everything had still—

A foolish, weak-minded and fragile-bodied _man_ , Aku concluded forcefully, smirking behind his knees with amusement. Any other thoughts that gave even the barest hint of relateability to Jack were pointless, and would require Aku to seek a doctor to diagnose him with brain-based diseases.

Jack sighed wistfully, closing his eyes and keeping an easy smile on his face. Aku immediately felt a wave of the same nausea-sickness that had come before, while pinning the samurai down. He firmly pushed the sensation back down, intent on not letting that repeat itself. If he had to withstand the samurai’s face for longer, he couldn’t risk getting sick at the sight of it.

“That is the home I remember,” Jack finished, “Even if, there are times that I…”

He slowly tilted his head towards the floor, opening his eyes to stare at it with fondness in his dark irises.

“I will admit there are many enjoyable aspects of this future,” he whispered, “Many memories I will keep for a lifetime, standing alongside those I hold of my home.”

Out of the blue, a stray thought wondered in Aku’s mind: ‘ _Am I one of those?’_

He smashed it instantly, because one, he didn’t care in the slightest, and two, obviously not. Ridiculous.

Aku found his hatred at the samurai’s evident joy start to rise, but when he tried to pull himself to do it his willpower dwindled. But why? He had always enjoyed crushing Jack’s hopes!

Perhaps it was the fear of consequence. Jack’s mood could easily switch to violent if provoked, and Aku was not in the mood to be attacked after what had happened earlier.

Deep down underneath the anger and hatred and possible fear, Aku knew there was some measure of an emotion he was quite familiar with from his demon days, but he refused to acknowledge it with the samurai, let alone anyone else. That feeling had, in fact, been lying there in him ever since he had first started observing humans and mortals, recognizing they would have something he could _never_ have.

Aku struggled to latch onto an emotion he could run with and display in front of the samurai, and he finally settled on apathy.

He uncurled his legs and sat back on his hands, making an annoyed noise.

“Are we done here, now?” he asked boredly.

Jack would admit to feeling a little hurt at Aku’s apparent lack of care after he had opened up, but what had he expected? He didn’t let it deter him from his point.

“No, we are not,” Jack said irately, “My intention was to help you realize that sharing something you remember with fondness may _help_ you.”

“Well, I do not feel like it.” Aku stood, then leaned over Jack with a challenging look.

“What _are_ you feeling, then?” Jack snapped.

“Tired for one!” Aku exclaimed, “I am also angry that you are pursuing this when I have tried explaining there would be no point, and I merely, simply, _hate_ you!”

“And I am merely trying to help you!” Jack hit his fist into his knee, “Why is that so hard for you to understand? Does your hatred truly span that deep, even after all this time we have spent together?”

Aku had had enough of this day and the samurai already, and so without thinking he shouted, “Why do you pretend to care?!”

Jack was initially still irritated, but when he opened his mouth to retort smartly the words hit him and he stopped. He blinked up at Aku, puzzled.

“What…Why would I do that?”

“Because you seek to destroy me!” Aku hissed, clenching his fists at his sides, “And there is no other motive for you!”

“Is the concept of good _that_ foreign to you?” Jack asked sternly, “Has it not occurred to you that I truly seek to help you for no personal gain?”

Aku scowled, “Again, I fail to see why you would _not!_ ”

Jack squinted up at Aku, “Why? Is this because you think you would not have motivation to act outside of personal gain and thus cannot relate, or is that just how you see all others but yourself?”

Aku’s eyes searched Jack’s face over, mind spinning at this conversation and how to answer Jack’s question. On some level he knew Jack _was_ doing this out of “good,” but even now he couldn’t work out what that meant or what it might look like. Was this something to do with the concept of “treating others as you would treat yourself”?

Jack sighed, and rose to stand opposite Aku. He looked in Aku in the eyes.

“On my honor,” he said, “I promise you that I am not doing this— any of this— out of motivation to destroy you.”

Aku jolted in place, shock coursing down him like electricity. Even if he didn’t understand that “good” in Jack, he _knew_ what the samurai’s honor meant to him. It was a feature Aku had taken advantage of many a time.

Aku worked his jaw, still unsettled.

“Then I have missed some other purely selfish motivation you must hold. You cannot—“

“Why is this so _hard_ for you?” Jack threw up his hands, “I only want to help you feel better!”

“And that is exactly it!” Aku pointed, accusational, “ _Why_ would you want that? Not but months ago we sought to kill each other! Why, even when we first met with my body like this, you were hostile and took convincing of believing me! And now it is like you think…”

Just then, it hit Aku. He felt a cold, ugly thing coil in his stomach. It was all making sense now— the lessons in morality that now tried to cater to Aku’s understanding, the slips of honesty that had come off onto Aku, the strange and unknown pull now to fight for others…

He reached up with both hands to grip his hair, breathing hard, heart pounding.

Jack, for his part, was confused but unwilling to give up.

“I made my motivations clear back then, Aku: I want you to take this chance to understand humanity, and even to become a better version of yourself. You could not continue living like you once had—“

“Why?” Aku cried out, and once more his words slipped out freely, “Because you think that I can become _good_? Become _redeemed?_ ”

“Yes!” Jack shouted, his control gone for a split second, “I believe you can, you are just too _stubborn_ to believe it yourself!”

Aku’s jaw hung open for a few seconds before clacking shut, but he couldn’t find any words to say or a voice with which to speak back and defend himself. Slowly, his hands unclenched, starting to fall back down to his sides.

Jack immediately reeled himself back in, still feeling the rage boiling under the fear and guilt that washed over him, and he swallowed as he pulled himself upright.

“You cannot undo what you did. All the horrible things you caused. It will not mean forgiveness from everyone, or even most that you harmed. But I think you can change, _shapeshifter_ , to become a better version of yourself that would not do those things ever again. And that is better than any apology you could give and any forgiveness you may receive.”

Aku reeled back like he’d been struck, which was close enough to the truth. The words brought Aku to a place he had not allowed himself to go in a very, very long time; not since he had first emerged into this world in the form he desired and been attacked by the emperor.

Was the samurai _right?_

But no.

He glowered at Jack, heart hammering in his chest.

“You are wrong.” Aku murmured, making every effort to not let his voice shake, and then marched into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him and locking it.

Jack let out the breath he was holding, but didn’t pursue Aku or the subject any further for the night. To him, the temperamental reaction only added further to his point, but he would let Aku have his space.

Now, it seemed, in his attempt to soothe Aku (and himself) he had opened up a whole other problem.

And in this one he had no idea how to even begin.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to Ka Won for the initial beta
> 
> from here on out though, im choosing to go unbetad. Personal.....stuff


End file.
